The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-09-06
A BIG SUIT FROM A SMALL SUM
Captain Moore Gives Bit of Gogebic
Range History.
From the New York Tribune

FROM TIE NeD YORK 1ftbNne
A law suit is pending in the Wisconsin
courts involving a one-sixth ownership in
the great Colby iron mine of the Gogebic
range, the peculiarities of which read like
romance, and illustrate at once the rapid
rise in land values consequent upon mineral
developments, and the looseness with which
business is transacted in the newer portions
of the country. The defendant in this case
is Car - \. d. Moore, the discoverer and
principal promoter of the Gogebie range.
who is now in this city, and who was in
duced to tell the story of the law suit to a
Tribune reporter as follows:
The captain had located the Colby mine
and had Induced the present Lieutenant
Governor of Michigan, Mr.. Mcdonald, and
a Mr. Mckay TO furnish him with the neces-
sary money to take up the lands, their inter
ests being one-third each. The property
was undeveloped for some time and was
held in the name of Mcdonald and Mckay
Meanwhile Capt Moore had discovered at
the head of G0gebic lake bit of mineral
land containing nickel, cobalt and tin He
was exceedingly anxious to get money to
take up this land, and for that purpose went
to John Monroe, brother-in-law of Nc
Kay, of whom he asked $50 for a half in
terest in the new discovery. Monroe agreed
to furnish the funds provided that Capt.
Moore would admit him to an
interest in the land already taken
up by Mcdonald and Mckay. Moore
agreed to let him have half of his one
third interest for $3.50, on condition that he
should take a one-half interest in the nickel
and cobalt property for $50, which was
sufficient to make all the payments for the
preemption. Monroe paid Capt. Moore
500, gave him $40 to bind the bargain for
the other transaction, and for the balance
of the $3.50 gave his note for $240 payable
in one years time When Capt. Moore
came to locate the nickel and cobalt prop
erty at the head of Gogebic Lake he found
other persons ahead of him, and made
arrangements with Monroe that the Sl6O
should be used as a payment ON the $40
note.
Under the superstition that Mcdonald and
Mckay had given him warranty deed for
his one-thhd interest in the property held
in their maine Capt. Moore gave Monroe
warranty deed for a one-sixth interest. But
Monroe became dissatisfied and asked for
the return of his money, agreeing to give
up the note and telling Capt. Moore that
the deed had not been recorded. Moore
paid Monroe his Sl70 Capt. Moore had
left the note in the hands of Mckay, who
was n brother of Mrs. Monroe, and he saws
that she had succeeded in obtaining it from
Mckay by fearful representations without
Capt. Moores knowledge Monroe died,
and after a time IL came out that the war
ranty deed given him by Monroe had been
recorded, and that his widow also held
the note. She married a seconC, time a
man by the name of Crawford, and is
the claimant for a one-sixth interest in tse
Colby mine under these circumstances Her
brother. Mckay when he found she was
going to make trouble for Capt. Moore, III
duced the latter TO have his ne-third inter
est in the Colby mine placed in his wifes
name The suit involves one-sixth own
ership in the mine, the royalty from the
leasehood interest of which is alone worth
from S120, 900 10 $4,000 year. Il was
won hy Mrs. Crawford in the lower courts.
but has been carried up to higher bench.
In talking about il Capt Moore said that in
spite of the large amount involved he would
not have fought IT, but that Mrs. Crawford
knew all about the transactions from begin
ming TO end